


The Spark That Will Restore

by wanderingspacedragon



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Gen, I just need to write something soft and heartwarmimg, a bunch of fluff, after ep ix, after the war
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-07-23 18:02:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16164047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wanderingspacedragon/pseuds/wanderingspacedragon
Summary: Finn is on a break from peace talks when he he's approached by Ben Solo. Takes place after Episode IX and after the war is over.





	The Spark That Will Restore

Leaving the conference room, Finn let out a long and exasperated breath as he tried to think of all he had to contemplate during this break in talks. He looked about the hallways for somewhere he can be alone and spotted an empty alcove with a window seat. For now he wanted to gather his thoughts instead of mingling with everyone for these peace talks were straining everyone’s patience. Sitting, he looked out at the rolling waves of this foreign world as they crashed against the building’s base. They were on an oceanic planet in the Mid Rim region of the galaxy, chosen for it’s ideal position as a midway point for all to meet at. The structure was a landing port for space-faring craft and this world’s sea ships, built on the one of the highest underwater mountains. Easily visible were the large sea vegetation growing beneath the surface and the schools of fish-like creatures darting about the pillars of the building. He glanced at the datapad in his lap that had information of the topics that they were just discussing in this meeting.

He wasn’t sure how Poe manage to speak so easily in front of all those leaders and generals. He suppose it was all Leia’s careful grooming that helped Poe grow into the role as leader of the Resistance. He had kept the group alive after their dwindled numbers from the Crait Battle and things had gotten dire as they struggled to regain support. Things had become so strained that Poe chose to make... questionable decisions in order to gain the upper hand on the First Order, but he did finally see what had to be done to bring a true end to this war. To focus on restoring and healing instead of burning and destroying the other side. Hux had pulled a coup against Kylo Ren, who was forced to flee and joined forces with Rey and Finn. Together they were able to gather more support and Finn lead a stormtrooper uprising who rallied to their cause. With the combined help of the Resistance, they were able to topple Hux’s war machine and end the First Order. But now they had to deal with how to make this peace last which apparently takes lots and lots of long, exhausting meetings.

Finn was taking the lead in helping the former stormtroopers regain their rights and freedoms. He felt responsible to these people for he was one of them not too long ago and had been the first to make it out of First Order. In these talks he was their spokesperson, making sure there needs and interests were heard.

A reflection in the window of someone approaching caught his attention. Turning, he saw Ky- no he goes by Ben Solo now, standing over him with a slight frown upon his face as the former Supreme Leader stare past Finn at the view. Finn was still unsure of this man who seem to always give an unnerving air about him. How much of that was his Force abilities or was that just who he was, Finn could never tell. He was no longer sporting his all black attire, choosing instead a dark grey robe with a white tunic underneath. He looked awkward in these more peaceful surroundings and a bit unsure of his exact purpose here.

“Y-yes?” Finn queried. Ben blinked rapidly, abruptly coming out of his deep thoughts.

“You’ve taken up the integration of the Stormtroopers to civilian life?” He posed it as a question, but his tone was more factual. Finn had just recently argued on the importance of this program against people who thought it was fine if the former troopers just became the army for the new government. He was vocal and firm that this should absolutely NOT happen. Some may want to stay in a more military lifestyle, but that should be each individual trooper’s choice to make. They had so much to recover from and acclimate to. What they needed was time.

“Yes. Someone has to.” Finn looked him square in the eye, he wasn’t afraid of this man anymore. Wary... yes, but not afraid. There was a time he did find him terrifying. A masked monster staring at him once on Jakku while he was hiding behind his own Stormtrooper mask. That night was so clear to him. It was the night he made one of the most important decision in his life, cause of what he saw in Kylo Ren was his fate if he stayed with the First Order. He would have become just another monster destroying everything in its path. So he ran and saved the humanity inside himself. It was only after fighting against and later with Ben that he realized that the monster Finn saw was just a mask.

The man that was Ben now broke his eye contact, still unsure of himself and this new life he was trying to forge. He gazed out at the waves below.

“You are the perfect one for the task.” the taller man was matter of fact, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “They will listen to you.”

“Them?” Finn gestured his thumb back towards the conference room. “Well yeah that’s cause of the Resistance and-”

“No. The troopers.” Ben quirked an eyebrow as he looked back at him. “You led their rebellion. You knew they could... should be saved. You were the one that showed them the way.” It was admiration in his voice that surprised Finn the most.

Finn still wasn’t used to the idea of people looking to him, but for the former Supreme Leader and powerful force user to think him as superior and correct in some way was...bizarre. He was so use to following orders and doing as he was told that the idea of him being a leader alien to him. He just knew when something wasn’t right, he couldn’t follow those orders. When he knew he needed to run as far as he could from the First Order, he ran. When he finally learn when he needed to fight he fought. That didn’t mean he was always right though. Rose showed that, by saving him from his well-intentioned, but pointless suicide run at that battering ram cannon on Crait. But when he saw his fellow troopers he knew they weren’t his enemy. They were just like him. Stolen from families and lives they never got a chance to experience. It was the Order and power hungry men like Hux and Snoke that were their true enemy. It took some drastic measures and even risked his friendship with Poe and his position with Resistance to convince them that to truly end this war they had to save and joined with the rebel Stormtroopers.

“Well actually them included.” Ben shrugged at the closed doors Finn had pointed to. “I couldn’t accomplish what you could. They won’t listen to me on this matter.” His voice was somber, weighted down from his past. He knew that trust amongst each other was still very fragile and will take time to build. The war was over, but that didn’t mean a new one couldn’t spring up. They were trying to start a new and not repeat past mistakes.

“Ben...Why- What are you getting at.” Flustered and a bit uncomfortable at this awkward conversation, Finn just wanted Ben to get to the point. Why had he seek him out during this break?

“I had some officers go through the Order’s archives.” He reached into his robes and pulled out a datapad from his inside chest pocket. “This...this is yours.” He handed Finn the tablet as it flickered to life.

He stared at it for a minute not really registering the words on it. It was the picture of a very young boy that was staring back up at him that left him dumbstruck. Who was this? Was this-

“Is this me?” His fingers splayed out over the glassy surface. Ben nodded at him.

“The First Order kept records on all of their officers, including where they came from.” Finn stood up and looked in Ben’s face, not sure what to say.

“Why?”

“I’m trying to gather all of the troopers’ and officers’ files together to give back to them. It was hidden from them. It's the least I could do.” Ben chewed his bottom lip, a quirk he had when he was unsure exactly how he was to proceed.

It was an apology of sorts, Finn realized. It was only then he finally knew that Ben didn’t hate or resented him like he had suspected. Well he may have before when the man was trying to snuff out the Light within himself. But Ben had come gain some peace within himself and his conflicting nature. Rey said that it wasn’t completely gone, the turmoil within the once darksider. She doubted it ever would, but that Ben had told her, “It’s a work in progress.”

“I did use to resent you.” the force user’s dark eyes didn’t hold any malice, only remorse. “You reminded me too much of a part myself that want to do what you did after Jakku.” Finn flinched. He hadn’t felt any mind probe. Could you feel a mind probe.

“Sorry!” Ben partially regretting started this conversation. He was terrible with small talk or speaking easily with any besides Rey. “You’re just loud is all.” His large hand tapped his own temple to indicate that he was referring to Finn’s mind.

“Ohhhh… Wait really?”

“Yes. It’s why I noticed you that night on Jakku.” Ben broke eye contact again, groaning inwardly that he was probably alienating the former trooper once more. Finn looked down at the datapad with his childhood face.

“Thank you.” his voice was soft, but deeply touched.

“You don’t have to. It’s yours and should have never been taken from you.” Finn hand reached out and squeezed the taller man’s shoulder. Ben didn’t flinched or moved away.

“I’m sorry, Finn.” he looked back at ex-trooper and held out his open hand.

“It’s alright, Ben. Again… thank you.”

And each clasped each other’s forearms.

A gentle chiming announced the ending of the break and people began to shuffle back towards the now open conference room doors. Finn and Ben gentle release each others arms and began their way back.

“I’ll need help getting all the files in order and to everyone.”

“Hey that’s a project I can lend a hand with. It could be part of the Stormtrooper integration program I’m working on.” Finn grinned as Ben gave him a rare, but genuine smile, both walking back into the meeting.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic up on this site and after such a hard week I needed to write something soft and touching. I hope this cheers you up as it did for me writing it. I'm not the greatest at writing so critiques and suggestions are very welcome to improve. Thank you for reading!  
> -WanderingSpaceDragon


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